In a 69-page ruling, the justices reviewed and dismissed each of Lindberg's numerous claims that the two special-circumstance findings that put him on death row were false. Instead, the justices agreed with the original Orange County jury's determination that Lindberg had indeed attempted to rob Thien Minh Ly before killing him and that the crime had been racially motivated.

The autopsy report showed Ly had been repeatedly punched, kicked in the face and stomped in the head, as well as stabbed 22 times, mostly in the heart. Later, Lindberg wrote a letter to his cousin detailing how he "killed a Jap." Honestly, I don't understand how the hate crime motivation was ever under question. That's racist!